Why let your uncarved Halloween pumpkins go to waste after October? I'm all about getting down and crafty and decorating our home for the holidays with recycled items that would otherwise be tossed away.

​Unfortunately, this was the first year that Sam and I didn't get the chance in October to carve our pumpkins before Halloween. Because of this, I knew that I definitely wanted to incorporate this prop into my Thanksgiving decor.

I chose to spell out the word "GIVE" in florals on my pumpkin because, for me, the holidays are all about giving. Whether it's a smile, a helping hand, emotional support, or even a sentimental gift. A lot of people neglect to acknowledge that for an overwhelming amount of individuals and families in the U.S., the holidays are a particularly difficult time because of a lack of basic living essentials, emotional support, and other unfortunate circumstances. I think that especially during the holiday season, it is important to keep this in mind and in turn be more compassionate, kind, and giving to those in need.

I encourage you to choose a word for your DIY pumpkin that represents what the holidays mean to you. So, without further ado, today I'm showing you how I transformed my basic orange pumpkin into meaningful Thanksgiving decor for our home in 5 easy steps.

Materials:

Large pumpkin

Colored paint of choice (I used cherry red)

Paint brush

Assorted mini faux flowers

​Scissors

​1 mm Punch Bit

How to:

Wipe pumpkin with cotton rag to clean and remove excess dirt.

Using paint brush, coat pumpkin entirely with colored paint. Let dry. If necessary, repeat with an extra coat of paint once dry.

Using scissors, cut faux flowers with approximately 1-inch stem on top.

Using a sharp 1 mm punch bit, carefully apply pressure in the pattern of first letter (G) of "GIVE" on face of pumpkin. Push one flower stem through each hole on pattern.

Repeat each letter of "GIVE" on face of pumpkin until floral pattern is complete. Enjoy!

Tip: If you do not have a 1 mm punch bit on hand, a dab of crazy glue or a hot glue gun will work just as well for securing the flowers but, it may take a bit longer to complete.

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